Family helps keep Michigan football recruit Shane Morris grounded

Like most moms with a senior in high school, Jennifer Morris is constantly worried about a laundry list full of things that her child is facing.

Unlike most of those moms, Jennifer’s son Shane Morris is considered one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country.

Warren De La Salle quarterback Shane Morris played against Pioneer on Friday with the stadium where he'll play college in the background.

Dan Brenner | AnnArbor.com

“I see him in the newspaper and on TV and it’s very hard to believe,” Jennifer said on Friday night at Pioneer High School. “But he’s still that kid to us. I’m still yelling at him to clean his room and do his homework.”

Shane led Warren De La Salle Pilots to a 35-7 win over Pioneer on Friday at Hollway Field and next fall, Shane will be playing across the street for the University of Michigan.

It’s a lot of pressure for a kid who hasn’t graduated high school yet.

So far Shane seems to be handling it pretty well, thanks in large part to his family.

“His family is the foundation for what he is and who he is today. He’s just a special kid," said Dave Schwartz, Shane’s grandfather. “He comes from a good family.”

And his family has been with him every step of the way to Michigan. Jennifer recalls visiting the campus for the first time with Shane and sitting in head coach Brady Hoke’s office the day he committed to play for the Wolverines.

“I kind of knew he was going to,” Jennifer said. “I think he really blew coach Hoke away because I don’t think he expected it. (Hoke) jumped up and grabbed him. It was really exciting.”

It was a dream come true for Shane who grew up as a Michigan fan, even though football wasn’t his only sport. Schwartz said his grandson played soccer, basketball and baseball among other sports as a kid.

“Anything that had to do with a ball, he played it. It just came natural to him,” Schwartz said.

Shane didn’t start out as the quarterback in the family however. His younger brother Brent, a junior who caught a 19-yard pass from Shane on Friday, was their team’s quarterback in pee-wee football and Shane played wide receiver. One day their father, who was coaching the team, switched the pair.

It was a good decision.

A five-star recruit, Shane has fast become one of the most anticipated recruits to come to Michigan in years. But being an athlete is secondary to his education, at least in Jennifer’s eyes.

“That means more than playing football. Knowing he is going to get to go to school and pick a career and have that opportunity,” Jennifer said.

With so much riding on the shoulders of such a young man, its only natural for people to wince every time Shane gets hit during a game. As his mother, Jennifer always sees it a bit differently.

“It scares me. I sit there by myself and I stare at him and as they’re coming from behind, I just scream,” Jennifer said. “It’s scary; I worry every play out. You never know what is going to happen.”

Shane’s grandmother Elaine Schwartz agreed, and said she always breaths a sigh of relief when the games are over.

“Now he needs to just get his senior year done and move on,” Elaine said.

He still has some football left to play for that senior year. Morris threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns against Pioneer.

And once that senior year is done, Shane will move across to Michigan Stadium, where if everything goes to plan, eventually, more than 110,000 screaming fans will be watching his every move. Jennifer knows it’s going to be a lot to take in.

“It's overwhelming, it's very overwhelming. And I’ll probably have to have ear plugs because I won’t want to hear it,” Jennifer said. “We’re all excited for him, he’s really excited, he’s worked hard for it.

Matt Durr covers sports for AnnArbor.com.

Comments

Tom

Sun, Aug 26, 2012 : 1:10 p.m.

Morris may have a future in New York...as an usher at Saturday Night Live.

GOBLUENO1

Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 6:45 p.m.

Tom, you must be for the other team! Morris is probably better then States new qb right now!! To be good you got to be a little cocky!!
GOBLUE

Tom

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 10:23 p.m.

Mommie's boy....could be one of the toughest players on a team of wimps.

Tally10

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 7:28 p.m.

Shane's a great HS player, but as a college player...unproven!
We, as fans need to be carefully not to set an unrealistic bar for this kid just because he's the type qb you prefer. We're setting him up for a possible great fall before he's even on campus.

chefbrian1

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 3:29 p.m.

Nice to see a Michigan kid do good.
And I agree that the photo is perfect.
Where else but a game against Pioneer could you have gotten that shot with the M in the background.
And he won the game too. It does not get better then that.
I wish Shane the best of luck and I look forward to him winning us some games.

MRunner73

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 2:18 p.m.

Great photo. Good start to Shane's season. Glad to know Shanes family will be there to keep him grounded and level headed.

Tom

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 1:47 p.m.

The kid is as cocky as any high school player that I have ever seen.
He will be a bust.

Axel

Sun, Aug 26, 2012 : 10:01 p.m.

Way too early to pass judgement on a senior in high school.

Tom

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 10:21 p.m.

I love Mike Hart. Wish that he'd have played for MSU.
The kid was not highly rated out of HS but his toughness was a difference maker.
I have no problem with his comments re MSU. Hart could back it up.
This kid fell on his face at the Elite 11 finals and he will in the BIG as well.
Where will he end up playing 1AA ball?

AAGreen

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 3:01 p.m.

Tom, I found it odd he chose to mock Mark Dantonio for offering a kid a scholarship to be a long snapper. Not only did he fail to grasp the significance of the move but it did strike me as rather cocky for a young man beginning his senior year in high school. Mike Hart talked trash knowing he would never have to face the Spartans again. This kid is doing it before he even gets on campus.

Robert Granville

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 2:53 p.m.

Jealousy is so unattractive.

NoPC

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 1:35 p.m.

That is a GREAT photo!!! Who did your patio??? Go Blue!

observer

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 12:12 p.m.

I have been very opinionated about this young man and the amount of press he receives, however, he has worked and appears to have desired this status...as to the PR machine, that is the case with every athlete who is rated high, they still have to play and play well and this young man continues to do so....GOOD FOR HIM....and a very nice photo too.......

boo

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 12:01 p.m.

classic photo! should win an award.

Scott

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : noon

Be wary. This is America. Looks what happens to all these celebrity kids. Shane has been mobbed with adoration, marketing, corporate camps, media interviews and hundreds of internet stories. All before his senior year in high school.
Don't tell me their aren't adults or an adult managing this PR machine.

Zelda

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 6:02 p.m.

Will PR or Mom yell at him to do his homework in college? or, don't football players need to do that?

gr82bamichwlvrine

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 3:43 p.m.

Please Scott, remove the tin foil from your head. It is a kid.....playing football.....for his high school team. Let it be.

observer

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 12:15 p.m.

Scott, he still has to play well and he has done so, and with the added pressure that comes with it too....

ribs1

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 12:05 p.m.

So

semperveritas

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 10:50 a.m.

congrats for a super photo (dan brenner?) with the gargantuan maize M looming in the background.